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DeLorean Motor Company, Texas
Background When John DeLorean’s company filed for bankruptcy in 1982, owners of the approximately 9,200 DeLoreans built were left wanting for parts and service. Most, if not all, DeLorean dealers at that time were understandably reluctant to perform warranty work, and they were also unable to obtain service parts for their customers while the company was in such disarray. Stephen Wynne, originally from Liverpool, England operated an independent auto service facility that specialized in English and French cars. He was approached by a DeLorean owner who needed repairs to his car and Wynne quickly recognized the Renault drivetrain and other components commonly found on cars that his company normally serviced. Word soon spread throughout the hundreds of owners in the Southern California area that DeLorean service was no longer an issue. As the factory was liquidated, DeLorean parts were still difficult to obtain (a notion that still exists today) while the logistics of packing and shipping the contents of the factory was being undertaken. An enterprising DeLorean owner from Southern California began canvassing the original dealer body throughout the United States and purchasing their remaining stocks of DeLorean parts and DeLorean-specific tools. He sold these items to other DeLorean owners, and became acquainted with Stephen Wynne in the process. In 1985, Stephen Wynne formed a partnership with this owner, creating a company named DeLorean One, a mail order parts and full-service facility dedicated to the DeLorean automobile. In 1988, DeLorean One opened a second location to serve their growing customer base in Houston, Texas. This facility, overseen by Wynne who relocated to the area as this location opened, was chosen based on the large number of known DeLorean owners and existing customers in the area. This location in the Sunbelt was also a central United States location for owners who wished to have their DeLoreans professionally serviced, but who may have been reluctant or unable to send their cars to the California location. In 1995, the DeLorean One partnership was dissolved due to differing viewpoints as to the future direction of the company. Stephen Wynne retained the Houston location, renaming it “DeLorean Motor Company” and the Southern California location kept the name DeLorean One and was retained by the other partner. Shortly after the DeLorean factory in Northern Ireland was liquidated in 1983, the remaining inventory of parts, some tooling, a full set of engineering drawings and other company documents were acquired by a company in Columbus, Ohio that saw an opportunity in filling the parts’ needs of DeLorean owners and service centers. Over the next couple of years, this company was also able to acquire additional quantities of some parts from the original suppliers to the DeLorean factory that, in some instances, had been left with significant quantities of DeLorean-specific inventory. In 1997, Wynne and his DeLorean Motor Company acquired what remained of this inventory and the exclusive distribution rights, as well as the tooling, engineering drawings and company records. In 2001/2002, Wynne built a new facility (see below) in northeast Houston and closed the Columbus, Ohio parts warehouse and moved the 60 tractor-trailer loads of items to this new facility. =Facility= DeLorean Motor Company is located fourteen miles northeast of downtown Houston, Texas, conveniently located near Interstate 10, Interstate 45 and Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Also nearby is the shipping port of Galveston, Texas. The 40,000 square foot purpose-built parts warehouse, showroom, offices and service/restoration center was completed in 2002, on a 2.5 acre tract of land in a mixed-use residential and commercial area. Indoor, secured storage for up to 80 DeLoreans is easily accomplished with this new facility. ' ' Parts It is a common misconception that DeLorean parts are unavailable or prohibitively expensive, and neither could be further from the truth. Approximately 30,000 square feet of the DeLorean Motor Company facility is used to store the following types of inventory: *New Old Stock (NOS) parts, which came from the former DeLorean factory, US Warranty Parts Center and in some cases, suppliers to the original DeLorean Motor Company. These are new, 30-year-old parts, and include such items as body panels, interior trim, wside glass, complete engines and transmissions and more. Approximately 95% of the 2,800+ different parts used on the car are available as NOS parts. *Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts are items that are still manufactured by the original supplier to the factory, to the original or an improved specification. Examples of these parts include spark plugs, coolant hoses, and other consumable items for which the supplies of NOS parts have been exhausted or the existing stocks of NOS parts are unsuitable for use. *Reproduction parts are a growing part of the DeLorean Motor Company product line. When supplies of NOS parts are exhausted and OEM parts are also no longer available, a cost study is done based on historical sales volume, tooling and unit costs, to determine the feasibility of creating a reproduction part. Since 1995, more than 200 reproduction parts have been introduced including interior trim, electrical switches, fuel tank sending units, weatherstripping and more. Accessories and gift items have proven to be a popular part of the DeLorean Motor Company offerings. Apparel, models, books, posters and gift certificates are popular among owners and enthusiasts alike. Car-specific items like car floor mats, bras, cleaning kits, and car covers are popular items for owners or as gifts purchased for owners. 'Service and Restoration' DeLorean Motor Company has a 7,500 square foot service, restoration and assembly center located within the aforementioned facility, and is currently staffed with five full-time service technicians. Minor and major mechanical service, including stainless steel repair is performed on DeLoreans brought or shipped in by owners from across the country and around the world. Category:Other Service Facilities Category:Other Service Facilities by US State:Texas Category:Other Service Facilities by Country:USA